Find Yourself:
Ok so once again my muse would like to take a few seconds to reflect on the awesomeness of Kevin McHale, Nathan Parsons, and my friend Gina as well as to thank everyone who is reading/reviewing this while Bob Guza continues to be an ass hat. Still don't own either fandom cause if I did Kiefer would get what's coming to him and Drew Garret would still be playing Michael amongst other things…Also kind of giddy that I was able to use my nicknames for Artie and Krissy in this chapter as well as hide subtle GH related Easter Eggs and the icing on the cake I had some more Will/Emma scenes... 3 weeks will NOT come soon enough
"TGIF," Tina said as she and Kristina exited the school on Friday afternoon, "so what are your plans this weekend?"
Tossing her bag in the back of Tina's car Kristina shrugged her shoulders.
In truth she did have a plan for the weekend..well she did anyways.
Up until she made that stupid pact with stupid Rachel she had made plans to go on a REAL date with Artie, no siblings, no friends, just the two of them…together.
Shaking the thoughts of what could of bee out of her head she flashed a smile to her friend.
"I don't know… work on a translations project for French, do some non school related reading, web chat with Ethan…."
Tina rolled her eyes.
"What, it's not like he's in glee and what Rachel doesn't know won't hurt her."
Tina let out a laugh as she nodded.
This was definitely true.
"So, has Ethan mentioned me since he went back to New York?"
Kristina instantly read the look on the young Asian girls face as a not so shocked look took over her face.
"Oh my god, you have a crush on Ethan."
Tina just blushed as she tried to change the subject.
"So anyway about this weekend, there is a John Hughes film festival downtown tomorrow afternoon…"
Kristina nodded. She knew all about this, as that was where she and Artie were going to go on their real date and wondered what Rachel's stance was on accidental, totally unplanned meetings in public places on non-school time. Actually the truth was she didn't wonder as frankly she didn't give a damn, she would convince Molly to text Artie with her plan…her sister would totally go for it…and then let the following afternoon play out as it may.
"I'd love too."
Tina smiled sweetly as they drove to the Davis home talking over the details for the following day.
--
Later that evening, Kristina headed upstairs to her room where Molly had now flopped down beside her on the bed.
"Kristina I don't know what's happened to you since we've moved to Lima but you're becoming a true romantic."
Picking up the stuffed animal her boyfriend gave her on Valentines Day she hugged it close and smiled to her kid sister.
"What can I say, you're a bad influence on me Molly."
Molly let out a little laugh.
"Since when is helping out two people in love making me a bad influence?"
Kristina shrugged, she really didn't have an answer to this as she tossed her cell phone over in her kid sister's direction.
"So, what will it be Kristina, a call or a text."
"Text will be fine," she said.
Molly watched as Kristina scribbled something down on a piece of scrap notebook paper…
Wheels-
Date's On!
Bump Into You At The Fest.
-Yale.
She couldn't help but to smile at herself as she scribbled the note thinking that her usage of these monikers was either ingenious or simply due to the fact that she hung around Spinelli one to many times.
She let out a laugh thinking it was a bit of both and that if Artie's phone happened to fall into the wrong hands perhaps her 'code' wouldn't be cracked.
Tossing the note over to Molly she watched her younger sister smile, signaling a job well done. Molly even commented on the romanticism of the nicknames as she typed the message and hit send.
"I so hope he shows up tomorrow afternoon Kristina," her sister said with an air in her voice.
Kristina nodded though even if her plan didn't work and Artie didn't show up, or if he did show up and the crowd tragically separated them she knew she would have a blast.
--
Kristina and Tina arrived downtown the following morning to already see a small line beginning to form in front of the theater.
"There really isn't that much excitement in this town is there?" Kristina asked her friend thinking back to her life in Port Charles where it was jam packed with drama, especially around the months of February, May, and November. Thinking that it was still February she could only begin to imagine what hostage crisis or natural disaster was befalling her hometown and made mental note to text Michael, Sam, or Ethan when she arrived home that evening.
Tina shook her head as the two walked to the end of the fast moving line and got tickets to the show.
--
Stepping into the lobby between the showings of 'Sixteen Candles' and 'Breakfast Club' she was beginning to loose all hope.
Ok sure she knew going into this that there was a good chance that the crowd would be too big or he wouldn't get the message, however she kind of liked the notion of being an optimist especially after all the drama that she had endured already in her short lifespan so far.
She let out a sigh as she made her way to the refreshment counter to buy herself an overpriced bottle of water when she eyed him.
"You made it," he said as he wheeled himself by her side.
Not looking him directly in his eyes she allowed her lips to curl into a half smile.
"Yes I did," she replied.
He smiled not giving her the satisfaction of direct eye contact either; least anyone from glee other then Tina had seen them together.
"So much for a proper first date."
"They say third times the charm."
"Counting on it next weekend, that is unless Rachel has another scheme."
"Believe me if she does I may have to put a call into my dad…he's a mob king by the way."
Artie let out a little laugh. Little did he know Kristina was being serious and for the moment she would laugh and pretend she was joking leaving him none the wiser only hoping that dear old dad didn't decide to show up at Regionals.
"So, do you think Tina would mind if you went missing, at least through the next couple of films."
Kristina grinned as she shook her head reaching out to take his hand and head back into the theater.
--
She had to quote the seminal classic of another great 80's flick the 'Time of her Life' with Artie at the film fest and didn't regret breaking the pact one bit even after swearing to one another that they would not talk about this 'date' nor would they make face to face contact with one another until Tuesday's glee practice and even then it was strictly sitting on opposite sides of the room engaging in brief bouts of covert 'eye sex' which they were becoming pros at.
It was now Sunday as she sat in her bedroom, the Chicago soundtrack playing in the background as she sung along while working on those French translations she had mentioned to Tina about Friday afternoon. Who said multitasking had to be boring?
Molly was at the Puckerman's, her mom was out with Diane who had dropped by unannounced for the weekend for some girl time and she was actually enjoying the time alone to reflect however the moment was suddenly broken when her computer beeped stating that she had a video chat invitation.
Ethan.
"I see you found my shirt love," his voice spoke out from his end of the screen as she looked down at the Rolling Stone's T-shirt she had on over a pair of gym shorts.
"And I thank you for it, it's the perfect veging out ensemble."
He let out a laugh thinking that her friend Kurt's dialect was definitely rubbing off on her but he didn't say as much.
"So not being the little social butterfly today…oh wait you made that stupid pact didn't you."
Kristina scratched her head; she never mentioned the pact to Ethan.
"Puck told me," he said before she even asked how he knew.
"He's pissed isn't he."
"Said it's typical Rachel and that's why he loves the girl despite her insanity."
Kristina nodded.
"He also said you were doing a little girls vs boys sing off."
Kristina nodded.
"I'd give you a little sample but I'd be afraid you'd share precious intel with the enemy. But I'm sure Rachel will get Quinn to film it for her so she can put it up on her My Space."
Ethan just nodded when Kristina realized she had yet to hear what the February catastrophe she was missing out on.
"So anything going on back home that I should know about?"
"Hmmm let's see…Elizabeth is pregnant…."
"That seems harmless enough…"
"It would be, except she admitted to cheating on Lucky with Nickolas."
"SLUT!… sorry I mean she's practically your sister in law so that was kind of rude of me."
"You're entitled to your opinion, though I am choosing to be good old Switzerland."
"Like you should…anyways that's all, not hostage situations or burning buildings…I mean its February after all."
"The month still has a week left."
"True…anyway Tina was asking about you."
"She has," Ethan's voice said with a newfound eagerness in it, "what did she say?"
"She wanted to know if you were asking about her."
"I'm flattered that the kid likes me… maybe if we are both unattached say in two more years I'll take you up on your offer and move to Lima and pursue things with her."
"But till then?"
"Give me her number… no sense we can't be friends right?"
"Friends," Kristina said repressing a laugh, "just promise me you won't try and lead her on."
"Scout's honor?"
"Why do I find it hard to believe that between being a grifter and a con man you had time to be a Boy Scout."
"Har, har har," Ethan said as they continued to banter back and fourth for another hour or so.
--
By Monday tensions were definitely rising with this whole boys verses girls sing off and the code of silence that went with it.
The young Spanish teacher by then had definitely realized that it was more vicious then his last battle of the sexes which he had instituted as a means to try and motivate the kids into not slacking off just because their Sectionals competition seemed like an easy win…an assumption which was later proven false thanks to Sue giving up the set list. Now they were stronger and consequently the competition was getting stiffer, Vocal Adrenaline after all was the raining Ohio State show choir champion.
However after the 5th student came up to him after class asking for the competition to be held earlier then Thursday he began to reconsider everything.
-
"I don't know what to do," he openly admitted as he entered Emma's office at the end of the day, flopping down on a chair that say across from his…well I guess he could call her his 'girlfriend' despite the awkwardness of the situation.
Emma gave him a concerned look while insisting that he tell her what was wrong since that was her job.
"I want to encourage the kids to compete, especially with the tough competition ahead for them at Regionals but this whole girls verses boys thing…"
"I know, I've had a couple of your kids vent about it to me too Will."
"What did they say."
"Well the boys don't like the idea of the girls freezing them out and the girls don't like to ignore the boys."
"So why are they doing this?"
Emma and Will looked at one another.
"RACHEL!" they both exclaimed.
"Should I go and talk to her?" Will asked.
"Do you really think she'll listen?"
They both paused.
"No," they said together again.
It was then that Will formulated a plan…
--
"Ok, raise your hand if you guys are ready to perform your sing off tomorrow instead of Thursday," Will said during Tuesday's rehearsal as he watched all twelve hands fly up.
Crises Averted.
--
TBC
Ok I know I got a bit jumpy but I kind of liked this chapter. Still don't know what song the boys should sing so suggestions? Any/All other ideas are also welcome…thanks in advance for reading/reviewing.